Pdoc gave the exact right reaction to something I shared today. Sounds really silly, but I said/shared something and he took a sharp intake of breath (probably because he was shocked), then said/asked something, and that was exactly what I needed.
It - that breath - sort of said: "I didn't expect that. How awful that happened. I believe you." even before he spoke.

It was a good session all the way - I don't generally talk about 'connecting' because I don't see therapy as an 'the relationship is what heals' kind of thing, but I didn't feel all that 'connected' the last two sessions or so (felt he wasn't as interested in me as he always was. Not sure if that was a change of his behaviour or of my preception), and this session sort of reaffirmed that.

[mcl6136]

Originally Posted by Breadfish

Pdoc gave the exact right reaction to something I shared today. Sounds really silly, but I said/shared something and he took a sharp intake of breath (probably because he was shocked), then said/asked something, and that was exactly what I needed.
It - that breath - sort of said: "I didn't expect that. How awful that happened. I believe you." even before he spoke.

It was a good session all the way - I don't generally talk about 'connecting' because I don't see therapy as an 'the relationship is what heals' kind of thing, but I didn't feel all that 'connected' the last two sessions or so (felt he wasn't as interested in me as he always was. Not sure if that was a change of his behaviour or of my preception), and this session sort of reaffirmed that.

And what would you have experienced if his reaction wasn't quite "right"? Aren't you putting an awful lot of stock in a sharp intake of breath?

[ElectricManatee]

Man, those are such golden moments in therapy, when the response is just exactly right. So satisfying. I'm glad you got to experience that today.

[Out There]

It doesn't sound silly - those moments are very important and they've been memorable when I've had them with my T's.

Originally Posted by mcl6136

And what would you have experienced if his reaction wasn't quite "right"? Aren't you putting an awful lot of stock in a sharp intake of breath?

I think my experience would have been neutral, or above neutral. Unless he'd reacted really ridiculously, then I might have felt bad, but now I felt acknowledged, believed.

Of course I put stock in something small/common/insignificant, but who doesn't? A white Christmas also seems to make a lot of people happy. So do receiving postcards and when someone smiles at them. Yesterday, this did it for me. (Well, I didn't feel happy, I was mostly relieved. But it's similar.)